A very Happy new year
by Lisola87
Summary: One-shot set after the Christmas episode (1x12 - Dominoes). How Toby and Happy spent their new year's eve...


**A very Happy new year**

It was 9 pm on New Year's Eve.

Toby was sitting on his couch, sweatpants and his alma mater t-shirt on, binge-watching one of his favorite shows, _The Mentalist_. (Granted, he discovered the culprit always within the first ten minutes, but he liked the characters and the writing, so he kept watching it).

Walter was visiting Megan with Sylvester, while Paige was in Portland with Drew and Ralph.

Cabe had to report to DC about their last missions and the progress of the team, and decided to spend the holiday with his sister and her family, in Georgetown.

He did not know what Happy was doing, and, since the Christmas party, he was trying to do anything to avoid thinking constantly about her.

On the coffee table, in front of the TV, lied an IPad with the last number of a psychiatric journal, along with a few half-read books and his Christmas gift from her.

He didn't want to keep the hat out of sight, because it reminded him that she actually understood what he said to her that day in Bosnia, and he thought that particular gift was a sign: Happy was finally starting to let her guard down and accept her feelings for him.

In the desperate attempt to distract himself from the thought of Happy, earlier that day he accepted to babysit the two-year-old twins (a girl and a boy, whom he was godfather to) of his med school friend and colleague Emily the next night, while she and her wife will get a well-deserved date night.

So, predicting the next night would be pretty exhausting, he chose to stay in on new year's and relax himself, or at least try to.

Happy was home, drying her hair. She worked on an old car in his father's body shop all day.

At eight thirty, he finally said her to go home and get some rest, since she already told him she had no plans for the night. She spent the last few days working and talking to her dad, even though they were not chatty people. While at the shop, she found herself thinking about what Toby would have said to avoid the embarrassing silences between her and her dad.

The thought of the crazy shrink made her smile every time, and every single time she was grateful her dad could not see her, because they usually worked not facing one another.

The last time she saw Toby was at the Christmas party. When she gave him his gift, she wanted to thank him for giving her the courage to tell her father the truth.

He may be often unnerving and cheeky, but with his constant disregard for her privacy, he was always able to push her in the right direction, and see her true self behind her brave façade.

Toby did a positive impression on his father too: "So, you're not seeing that funny friend of yours tonight, the one with the hat…Toby?"

"Oh, so you think he's funny?" retorted her.

"Well, yeah, and I think he cares a lot about you, too" answered him.

"And you say this based on your profound knowledge of him, I suppose." She could not believe Toby had already her dad on his side, after they talked for less than an hour a couple days ago!

"Well, no, but I see how he looks at you, and that's unmistakable. Believe me."

She could still remember the light in his brown eyes when he saw the hat.

The warm, peaceful sensation she felt when he hugged her was unexpected and delightful at the same time.

Her father's words still resounded in her head, so she decided to start the New Year fighting off another one of her fears.

It was 11 pm. Toby heard a knock on his door. Thinking it was his elderly neighbor, he went straight to the door without thinking. "Mrs Burns, is that you? Is Fluffy alright?"

"Who the hell is Fluffy?" asked Happy.

An astonished Toby kept silent for a few moments.

"Happy?! What are you doing here?"

"Well, thanks for the hearty welcome, are you letting me in or what?!"

"Yes, sure…come in!"

Toby closed the door behind him after she entered his flat, thinking it was the first time Happy was there without the rest of the cyclone.

"Sorry if I'm sounding like a broken record, but… why are you here?" said Toby, offering her a beer.

Happy took the beer, and sit on the blue couch in the exact spot where he was sitting a few minutes before.

"I…just came to see if you were home and wish you a happy new year", said her, while a rush of embarrassment, insecurity, and fear of being rejected run all over her body.

"Are you forgetting who you're talking to?" said him, getting close to her.

Now Toby was standing tall in front of her, holding her piercing gaze, understanding she was afraid to tell him the truth. Wanting her to feel at ease and comfortable, he sit beside her, letting her take her time.

When he sit down, Happy saw the hat on the small table in front of her.

The reasons and the feelings that made her pick that hat for him hit her unpredictably.

She wanted to tell him the truth, because he deserved it.

He was always honest with her, and he deserved her honesty too.

Happy turned around, facing him again.

"I…just came to tell you that you're right."

"About what?"

"About my armor, about not being able to let my guard down with people…and with you is ten times harder."

"And why is that?"

"Are you asking as a shrink, Doc?"

"Absolutely not. I'm asking as someone who cares a lot about you", said him gently.

The look in his eyes, sincere and warm, gave her the strength to keep talking.

"Because I'm scared of my feelings, and of yours."

"Mine? Why would you be scared of my feelings for you?" asked Toby, softly putting his hand over hers.

"Because I don't want to disappoint you"

"Happy, you would never disappoint me, I know you. You're the bravest, strongest, most independent woman I know. You don't need me to take care of you, as we both know, but you're also caring, attentive, and loyal.

You make me follow my best instincts and act more like a men and less like a jerk. You're the quarter inch wrench and I'm the quarter inch bolt – said Toby smiling – we work."

Suddenly, Happy took his face in her hands and kissed him.

He was stunned for the first three seconds, then started to kiss her back.

Distantly, they could hear voices shouting the countdown, but they couldn't care less.

As they heard the fireworks explode in the sky, they unwillingly parted lips.

"Happy new year, Toby" whispered her.

"Indeed it is", said him, grinning. 

**Thanks for reading my first fan-fic ever!**

**Please note that English is not my native language, so forgive me and tell me if you find any errors!**

**Every reviewer will receive my eternal gratitude! Thank you!**


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